More than 100 public safety and military personnel participated in the 2024 “Ravens Challenge,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Saturday.
“Ravens Challenge” is the world’s largest annual training exercise for public safety bomb squads and military explosive ordnance disposal teams. The exercise took place at the New York State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC) in Oriskay, N.Y., over the past week. Bomb technicians and military personnel from New York, the United States, and other countries – including Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and Canada, participate in the exercise, officials said.
“We are pleased to be the host state for public safety and military personnel to strengthen their emergency preparedness skills and bolster the relationship between state emergency responders and those from around the world,” Hochul said. “New York State has some of the best training facilities, and these practices will ensure our first responders can respond effectively to any situation and protect the public.”
Teams conducted scenario-based training based on the current threat environment and intelligence, developing skills like information exchange, team building and working in realistic environments.
Funded by the U.S. Army and coordinated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in partnership with the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and state and local law enforcement agencies, this is the fifth time the exercise has been held in New York’s SPTC. Other challenges will be conducted this year in Washington, Virginia, Utah, and Kentucky.
“New York State operates one of finest first responder training centers in the world and we were pleased to host the prestigious Raven’s Challenge this year,” New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said. “Bringing together emergency responders from across the country and around the world for this type of training can help foster best practices and develop partnerships that can be extremely beneficial when a crisis situation occurs.”